NEWS
Okowa Aide Who Allegedly ‘Looted’ Delta Line Blind Speaks Up, Accuses Ex-workers Of Running Coy Aground
An embattled Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Transport, Comrade Chibuzor Uwajeh, who was allegedly accused of embezzling hundreds of millions of naira which ought to go into the coffers of the Delta Line Transport Services Limited has finally explained the controversy surroundings the partial sale of the transport company.
He, however, exonerated himself of the messy scandal surrounding the deal which led to the privatization of the company, saying that workers of the transport company allegedly ran down the company, a development which according to him necessitated the need to partner the private sector in revamping the transport outfit.
POINTER newspaper reports that Comrade Uwajeh spoke on the backdrop of the protest embarked upon by the workers under the Amalgamated Union of Public Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE), over the planned takeover of Delta Line by God is Good Motors.
According to the newspaper, Uwajeh said that since assumption of office in March ,2016, some of the workers have been either sacked or suspended for allegedly stealing motor engines and other motor spare parts, selling company ‘s vehicles and non remittance of money from outstations.
He said he was fully in support of government’s plan to partner the private sector to make the transport company viable as Delta Line had failed to meet the objective for which it was set up, adding that past administrations had contemplated this action, especially after provision of about 200 buses that were not fully accounted for.
The SSA revealed that he inherited old buses which he operated to pay about N100million debt owed through various sectors before his assumption, adding that some of their losses were embedded in litigations, accidents and stealing.
However, Comrade Uwajeh assured the workers that the state government had good plans to address their interests and entitlements in the transport company, stressing that nobody would be thrown into the labour market as a result of the partnership.
He said that contrary to perception, the state government did not sell Delta Line but was partnering to ensure its viability, contending that union leaders were aware that the place was not viable.
While advising the workers to shun violent protest and await the outcome of government plans for their welfare, he advised the union leaders to seek audience with the government, rather than calling out workers on protest.
BigPen Online learnt that Governor Okowa’s convoy had on Monday ran into the protesting defunct Delta Line Company’s workers who stormed the ever busy Onitsha – Asaba Expressway to protest the non payment of their eight months salaries but immediately detoured into Ezenia Avenue in order to avoid possible backlash and confrontation.
The state Chairman of AUPCTRE, Comrade Jerry Okousun, according to reports had said the workers had not been officially informed of the partnership with God is Good Motors, adding that they were not happy the company was allegedly sold for paltry sum.
He said they would continue to protest until the decision was reversed because Delta Line is a public property belonging to Deltans.
Some of the workers who spoke to the press expressed the fear that their entitlements and benefits had been jeopardized as a result of the new deal.
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